160 Sq. Ft. Rhino Shipping Container Tiny Home

onJuly 11, 2014

This 160 sq. ft. Rhino shipping container tiny home named ‘Zulu Queen‘ has been created by an architect/artist and an outdoors woman who loves traveling. Together they created a company called Rhino Cubed.

And it combines tiny living, sustainability, and art. Rhino Cubed is based in Boulder, Colorado and the company is building units nearby in Louisville. It all starts with a reclaimed 20′ or 25′ shipping container. From there it’s turned into a sustainable tiny home to live simply in.

Options include full kitchen, bathroom, solar power system, artsy bunk bed, water storage, and more. Would you consider converting a used container into your own DIY tiny home? I would.

Alex

Alex is a contributor and editor for TinyHouseTalk.com and the always free Tiny House Newsletter. He has a passion for exploring and sharing tiny homes (from yurts and RVs to tiny cabins and cottages) and inspiring simple living stories. We invite you to send in your story and tiny home photos too so we can re-share and inspire others towards a simple life too. Thank you!

Related

This is definitely different but if you have ever been to southern CO you would see how easily this structure would fit in as there are numerous container type homes/storage etc there and mostly in the San Luis Valley area of CO. We used to live in that area so I say this with all confidence. There, also, is a town called Crestone and a very artsy type community with many different structures with some small to tiny homes and I could see this being there and getting a lot of praise because of the uniqueness of it. This is why I love this newsletter to see how people make things work on so many levels. I don’t know where her clients are but could see a good business if people are wanting to relocate this type of structure to southern CO as almost any idea on ways to live there are embraced. Ideas abound! Good job!

Alex, thanks for the blog posting! We really appreciate it! Cynthia, we’re in Colorado as well. We’re working on a Rhino Camp in Southern Colorado to allow people of similar interests to live in one place, right on the Rio Grande. We’re also happy to check out Crestone–thanks for the tip! By the way, any of these can have bathrooms and can be on or off-grid. The cost of the “Zulu Queen” includes solar panels, solar generator, DC refrigerator, and marine cooktops and heater. Thanks to everyone for your comments!

I am thinking about storage containers more and more myself. While I like the look of the wooden TH’s Especially the long tall ones you could always skin one of these containers on the outside of you wanted to.

As for the shipping containers I am thinking of using 2 as well perhaps stacked with a simple opening on one end that would be easy to reseal over and over like a gasket fitting. OR do a side by side setup and make it more spread out which I am leaning towards. I am just now learning the ins and outs of tiny house living and kicking ideas around. I am thinking the containers not being on wheels would incur property taxes in some places if you just had them trucked from one place to another then set in place.

It just occurred to me the storage containers are made of a very heavy metal which should make them more fire resistant. If you have the proper insulation or interior made of less combustible material, these homes should act similar to a fire resistant safe and protect your belongings. Good idea for the many areas where forest fires or prairie fires occur.

I wish there were more pictures from a distance for the outside so I could better place what I was seeing and more pics of the inside. Is that a tool chest and refrigerator as you come up to the container? Is that a loft bed up there? How do you get to it? Too many unanswered questions and not enough pictures but I love the creativity and the idea of turning a shipping container into a home.

The cargo doors open to bike storage on the right and a “man cave” on the left, where tool chests and a marine heater unit are shown. The bunk bed is up on a loft, allowing you to sleep looking out of the “owl eyes”. A ladder from the inside gets you up to the bunk bed. This unit doesn’t have a bathroom, but a 24 footer has a complete bathroom with shower. A shipping container is the perfect building block and is great for part-time usage because it is rodent and insect-proof!

I enjoy the idea of turning shipping containers into an alternative housing option. They can be, in fact, used not only for homes, but small businesses, homeless shelters, storm shelters, bus stop shelters or storage units. I personally favour the most the purpose of a container to become a little garden house to store all the garden equipment and to serve as a shelter in warm days. Your solution for re-purposed container is great too, combination of living and art is indeed very innovative. And your interior design is nice and efficient. I can imagine a very comfortable life in there. Using wood instead of metal was a nice touch, makes it more cozy.

I don’t know if it’s becoming a trend or what, but I have been frequently hearing about re-designing the shipping containers lately. Especially due to their sustainability and durability, but in addition, their cost is much lower than traditional house establishment. Actually, here is a very nice article all about the effectiveness and expenses of containers remake, if you are interested: Shipping Container Homes.

hello TH’s and friends, I came across this site after looking at yours and thought you might like to see it too. Rhino cube is creative, but this one is more homey if one wants a stay put residence that actually could be moved if need be. At least the little ones. And the larger stay put is available if you want that. no, i have nothing to do w the site or company, just saw it and thought to share. God bless!http://www.goipme.com/living-working-spaces/